In The Shadows
by YarningChick
Summary: Ashamed by his monstrous niece, a duke locks the girl away in a tower. Is hiding from the world truly her destiny, or is there something more to hope for?
1. Two Babies

Extra

Chapter One: Two Babies

_Deep within a large stone castle, everything was chaos. Not one but three nursemaids were in a large spacious room within the castle, assisting the duke's sister with the difficult birth._

_The redheaded woman screamed again as her belly moved noticeably, the midwives doing what they could to ease the birth._

_Outside the room waited the duke. His face was weary, and drawn with tired lines. His brother in law had died in the last war, and the man felt no trouble with looking after his widowed sister and the fatherless child. Without an heir of his own, he couldn't help but wish for a nephew, as his sister screamed again._

_Several hours later, the midwives opened the door and bid him to enter. Worried by their horrified expressions, he entered the dimly lit room. His sister, Naoko, was on the brink of death; even he could see that. But she desperately clung to the bundle in her arms._

"_Yosho; before you see your niece, I want you to promise me something."_

_He quirked an eyebrow at her as he sat down next to her and tried to sneak a peek at the baby. She hurriedly pulled her child away, but her inner spirit was already beginning to die._

"_Name it, Naoko."_

"_I want you to watch over my little Haru; no matter what. Let her know that I love her just the way she is, and make sure she grows up to be a lady."_

_Worried by this promise, he tried to grab the newborn, but the mother pulled away again._

"_Promise me!"_

_The duke bit his lip, but how could he deny her last wish?_

"_I swear that I will look after little Haru. She will have the education and upbringing befitting her rank, and will always know that she is loved."_

_The young woman relaxed a little, and hesitantly pulled away the blanket so that the uncle could see the child's face. _

_He jumped out of the bed, nearly knocking over a desk in his haste to be away from the baby. A shout of horror escaped his lips, looking at the strange creature that was his niece. At the yell, the tiny baby woke up, and started crying. The mother rocked her child gently, and spoke soothingly until her child was almost asleep again, gurgling softly._

"_Don't forget, Yosho; you promised. I don't know why her body's between that of a human and a cat, but Haru is still my daughter and your niece." Smiling, she leaned back into her pillows, and let death claim her. The brown haired kitten-child cooed at the woman as she left the realms of the living, to join her husband._

_The Duke Iyumi stared at the babe with revulsion. But he knew as well as anyone that to break a deathbed promise was to invite misfortune on every conceivable level. He turned away from the child, unable to take the sight of her anymore. He looked at the three midwives, worrying that they would tell of the monster's birth. Pulling out his purse, he paid each of them twice as much as he had promised._

"_Tell no one of this," he hissed at them. "The baby is sickly, and must be kept away from the world. You know what will happen to you and your loved ones if this is discovered."_

_The women nodded fearfully and began to leave. But the youngest one turned just before leaving the room, and looked at the heavily canopied bed again. She gasped in astonishment._

"_The child!"_

_The duke turned, and stared in unbelieving shock. For as the last of the daylight fled from the room, so did the baby's kittenish appearance. When the light was completely gone, a beautiful human baby girl was snuggled in her dead mother's arms, making cute baby sounds. Like approaching a viper, Yosho Iyumi approached the bed, and pried his niece out of his dead sister's arms. When the baby was in his arms, she opened her warm chocolate eyes at him, and cooed again._

'_What has my sister given birth to? A demon?'_

"_Maybe there __**is**__ a way to make this work," he whispered to himself, starting to come up with a plan, to keep this terrible secret. Yes, he would fulfill his promise to Naoko, but Haru wouldn't have any illusions beyond what her mother had specified. No one could ever know that the child was anything more than his sickly niece. _

_The next few years would prove to be difficult indeed._

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

_Far away, in another land and dimension, there was another mother giving birth, at the exact time as the duke's sister. This woman was a baron's wife, and the proud father-to-be was holding his wife's hand and kissing her brow._

"_Just a little more, love. It's almost over."_

_An hour later, the midwife had the baby in her hands, and was staring at it with disbelief. She looked up at the parents._

"_It's a boy, but there's more." Slowly, she raised the infant, still wet with body fluids, so that both parents could see. The woman gasped with shock while her husband gave a whoop of delight._

"_A human! My son was born a human!"_

_The gray half-cat nodded solemnly while she cleaned off the infant._

"_We've been waiting some time for this to happen. The king will be pleased."_

_The good baron was nearly jumping up and down in his excitement, making his baroness laugh warmly, having only seen him lose his composure a small handful of times before. The midwife approached the dark gray half-cat, and gave him his son. Bright sapphire met light emerald, and the baron kissed his newborn son tenderly._

"_You will bring much honor to our family, my boy. The things you'll grow up to do-"_

"_But he's probably hungry right now," his lovely and tawny wife said pointedly, holding her arms out for the child that had given her such a difficult seven hours of labor. Her husband laughed a little guiltily, and carefully handed over the precious bundle. As the young lad tasted his first milk, the midwife packed up the tools of her trade._

"_I shall go to the palace, and tell our king that the sign has been given. What shall I tell him the babe's name is?"_

_His mother looked at him lovingly as the remaining daylight faded, and her human son slowly became her kitten baby._

"_Humbert von Gikkingen. I promised my father I would name my first son after him."_

"_Despite the fact that he tried to talk you out of it," her husband said dryly, kissing her cheek. She giggled softly as the baby in her arms stopped feeding, to take a little rest._

_It had been a long day indeed._


	2. The Discovery

Extra

Chapter Two: The Discovery

Haru shifted around in her little bed, as slumber left her. Her large chocolate eyes opened to bright daylight, making her wince slightly. Stretching, the young half-cat jumped out of bed, and opened up her wardrobe; knowing that she wouldn't be able to sleep again for today. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched her beloved nanny Aya sleep in her own area of the tower that the duke had put aside for his niece's use; the tallest tower that his estate had.

No one but the nanny and the duke were allowed to enter the tower at any time, and the little girl was only allowed to come down after all the daylight had completely faded.

She sighed while tying her longer head fur back in a high ponytail and searched her shelves for a book to read. She had always had a craving for stories of magic and heroic deeds, but her uncle thought that such literature would only lead to trouble. In its place, he gave her countless books on every other subject, and the little kitten wasn't about to sacrifice her life to boredom by ignoring what her uncle was willing to give her. Picking out one about butterflies, she sat down in the big chair next to the fireplace and started reading. She became fascinated by the way ugly caterpillars built little houses around themselves, only to eventually emerge a as a beautiful butterfly.

'_I wonder if that would work for __**me**__.' _She sighed again. Getting an idea, she carried the book to her little desk, and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a small bottle of ink. Very carefully, she traced the ink onto the parchment in front of her with a long feather quill; copying the pretty butterfly on the page of her book, a limenitis camilla. She had chosen to draw that one because she only had black ink, and the limenitis camilla was one of the few butterflies that had black and white wings.

When she was done, she happily looked at her drawing; impressed with herself for doing so well on the first try. But, part of her became saddened.

'_This is the closest I'll ever come to a real butterfly.' _She touched one of the wings, getting ink on her fingertips. _'I wish you were real.'_

The insect on the paper immediately started moving, causing the kitten-child to back away with a cry. Her nursemaid woke up from the noise, just in time to see the butterfly fly off of the paper, and start circling the room.

"What have you done, Haru?!"

The cat-girl laughed with delight, and then realized that the newborn butterfly wanted outside. She looked up at the windows, which were still too high for her to reach. She grimaced, silently wishing that a window would open so that the butterfly could leave.

Much to Aya's shock, a window _did _fly open, and her charge gently guided the butterfly out of it. Feeling strangely weary again, Haru sat down on her bed, grinning at her nanny before curling up for another nap.

'_I have a power to make wishes happen. I wonder what else I can do.'_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A few hours later, her uncle was in the tower, and Aya was explaining what had happened. He looked over at his niece, who was practicing her sewing skills by candlelight. With the daylight long gone, she made a very pretty little girl. He hesitantly approached her, and kneeled next to her chair.

"Haru, what did you do earlier?"

She shrugged happily.

"I made a wish, and it came true. Watch this." Pressing her pointer finger to the dragonfly she had just embroidered, the little girl concentrated. The little insect worked its way free of the cloth, and fluttered around the room. The duke watched it sail around with amazement; before a window opened and shut by itself, so that the dragonfly could escape to the outside world. He looked down at his niece again.

"Can you do that with your body? Can you wish it into always being a human?"

The bright smile on her little face faded, and she looked down at her embroidery hoop, suddenly noticing that she had pricked herself. Like the lady she was turning into, she used a handkerchief to stop the blood flow.

"Am I not good enough?" she whispered sadly. "Are you really so ashamed of what I am?"

Tears started falling onto the cloth on her lap. Yosho stiffened, realizing that he had just slammed her Achilles' heel. The duke still hadn't found the courage to see his niece during the day, still a bit scared of her feline form. He quickly took her shoulders and held her tightly.

"Sweetie, I love you plenty. It's impossible to know you and _not_ love you. But… life would be a lot simpler if you were always a human. If anyone found out about your little whiskers, they would kill you. Do you want that?"

Her eyes flooded further.

"Sometimes; yes. I already tried wishing my body into human form, but I was still a cat until the sun went down." She covered her face with her hands as her uncle continued to hold her.

'_Why did I have to be born like this?!'_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

In another world, a young human lad was sparring with his feline father. Sweat beaded his brow as he lunged and parried, eventually losing to his father. Harold von Gikkingen set down his sword; sapphire eyes alight with pride.

"You did much better that time, Humbert. Ten years from now, you will be the best swordsmen in all of Althea."

The young lad sighed, and neatly sat down on the grass.

"Father, I've been thinking a lot lately."

The baron grinned, and sat down next to his son.

"That's a good habit, son; don't give it up. What have you been thinking about?"

The green-eyed human sighed again, and seemed to gaze farther than the natural landscape would allow him.

"My future. It just doesn't seem very fair, that I don't get to pick out how my life will be like. Why me? Why couldn't this great honor have been given to someone better suited to the task?"

Worried by his son's tone, he touched Humbert's shoulder firmly, and made the lad lock eyes with him.

"There is _none_ better suited, Son. The fact that you are the one with the mark proves it. Are you not excelling in every field you are put to? Doesn't the king himself call on you, when he can't figure out how to solve a problem?"

Humbert sighed again.

"He calls on me because his advisors are nitwits and he wants to stay on my good side. I'm supposed to become a major power one day, so I have no idea if all the flowery words people give me are genuine. What about _her_? What if I can't get along with her? What if we hate each other?"

Harold rolled his eyes, and ruffled his son's hair affectionately.

"Considering the fact that you can get along with anybody, and that fate has chosen to throw you two into the same pot, I don't think you should worry too much. Always remember your manners, and you will have her respect, at least. Now then," the baron said, picking up his weapon. "That's enough of a break. You still have a ways to go, before the years are up."


	3. Coming of Age

Extra

Chapter Three: Coming of Age

Duke Yosho absent-mindedly watched the wine in his glass swirl around as he slowly moved his hand back and forth; bored beyond tears as the count explained the exact differences between Bash and Nash marble.

"… but then again, Nash has a bit more of a glossy sheen to it, or at least the blue varieties do."

"Mm, hm," Yosho said absently, willing the court session to come to an end, so he could go home and get an hour or two of sleep in, so that he could spend a little more time with his niece. She had beaten him at chess again, and he was eager to even the score.

Suddenly, a red-clad servant appeared at the duke's elbow.

"The king wishes to speak with you, Your Grace."

'_Long live the king!' _Yosho smiled apologetically at the count. "Duty calls. It's been pleasant talking with you, Count Yani." The duke bowed politely once before following the servant into the thicker fold of the party. Yosho began to feel a little claustrophobic from all the people crowding around him, but then they parted, to reveal the good monarch.

King Ryu was looking well, although perhaps a little more stern than what the duke was used to. The duke came forward, and bowed low before his monarch.

"You wished to see me, Sire?"

The king nodded.

"I did." He walked out of the midst of courtiers, beckoning the duke to follow. Yosho did so, and found himself on a balcony. A hand gesture sent the two guards to closing off the balcony from the rest of the gathering, to at least give the illusion of privacy. The king turned to his old friend, a soft smile on his lips.

"Fine day, isn't it?"

Yosho blinked, certain that his monarch wasn't going this far just to talk about the weather.

"It is, Sire."

The monarch smiled again, although his eyes were troubled.

"Correct me if I'm wrong Yosho, but your niece turned sixteen almost three months ago. Is that true?"

The duke's heart began to beat faster.

"It is, Sire."

"How puzzling, that you haven't introduced her to the court yet. Has she been feeling better?"

"That's a trick question, Sire. You know about her allergy to sunlight."

"Indeed, I do. But if you'll remember, my good duke, it isn't _always_ daylight. I think it's high time for your Haru to be introduced to her peers. I'll personally organize her coming of age ball."

"But, Sire…" The dark man thought hard of a reason to say no. The king sighed tiredly.

"Yosho, I'm afraid things are getting out of hand. I'm hearing all sorts of rumors about your niece."

"What kind of rumors?" Yosho struggled to ask calmly, wondering of one of the nursemaids had talked, after all.

"Just about every kind underneath the sun. People are saying everything between your niece is a vampire or a ghost of the niece that you personally killed. A few people are even talking about storming your home, just to see her during daylight."

A terrible fear gripped the duke's chest.

"No, Haru's harmless, I swear. She's a great girl-"

"Then you shouldn't feel any problem with introducing her to the court." The king sighed again. "You both can come late, if that's what it takes to protect your niece's skin, but I insist that she attends the ball in her honor precisely a week from now. And I know that since Haru's your niece, she would never disobey a request from me."

Yosho's mouth flapped open and closed, but realized that there was no way out of _this _mess. He bowed low before his monarch.

"Then she will attend, Sire."

The king smiled broadly, and patted the duke's shoulder.

"There now; that wasn't so difficult, now was it?"

'_No, but pulling this off __**will**__ be.'_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

An insistent pounding started assailing Haru's door, waking her from sweet slumber.

"Who is it?" she mumbled, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Your uncle; I really need to talk to you."

Her heart froze, since he rarely visited her in the daytime. She hopped out of bed and ran over to the door to undo the magic lock she had done on it, to keep out all but her uncle or nursemaid, who had the week off. As she had been taught to do, the brunette opened the door while walking behind it, just in case someone was looking up the stairs. Yosho quickly spun around in order to shut the door behind him.

"Could you, Haru?"

She smiled softly and brushed the door once again with her hand, making it as unmovable as a part of the wall.

"Is something wrong?"

He sighed and walked over to one of her high back chairs, next to the fireplace.

"The king has commanded your presence, at a ball in your honor a week from now."

Her eyebrows shot up as he raised one hand.

"I know, but he's even given us special permission to arrive late, because of your skin. I'm sorry; I delayed it as much as I could."

Haru sighed and kneeled at her uncle's knee, like she was still a child. Showing a remarkable amount of bravery, since he was still a little nervous of her half-cat form, she covered his hand with hers. He barely even twitched this time, which was significant improvement.

"Thank you, Uncle. I know you did your best." She sighed once more, not looking forward to the event in her honor. Having been isolated from most people nearly all of her life, she wasn't exactly excited about suddenly meeting a possibility of hundreds of strangers. Haru twitched nervously, and stood up.

"Uncle? If it's a ball, I'll be expected to dance."

He winced, but also stood up.

"You could definitely use a little improvement in that area."

Cracking her knuckles once, Haru focused hard. All the furniture in the room groaned as it was forcefully pushed against the wall, to create a large dancing area. The nearly-grown half-cat snapped her fingers, making a symphony painting on the wall spring to life, and a beautiful melody began to flow through the room.

Yosho chuckled softly, taking a bit of pride in the way she was showing off.

"Just remember not to do anything like this at the palace."

His niece grinned and used a finger to make a cross over her heart.

"I swear I won't so much as make a breeze. Shall we?" She held her arms out for him, making him laugh.

"Remember not to do that either, Haru. It's the men that ask for a dance. Speaking of which, would you care to?"

She grinned, and put down her arms.

"Oh, I don't know. You're too _serious_ for me."

He laughed, and started guiding her through a simple waltz, silencing the pain in his feet and legs.

"You sound so much like your mother, it's scary."


	4. Goodbyes

Extra

Chapter Four: Goodbyes

For the first time in years, Humbert voluntarily reached for a black suit, and somberly put it on. He took more care than he usually did with the buttons, and made sure that his bow tie was perfectly aligned. Placing the matching top hat on his head, he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He hoped to find a small something wrong, so that it could be fixed and therefore delay his journey down the stairs, and to the funeral carriage waiting below. Well, something wrong besides the obvious; Humbert was used to seeing himself as a human during the day, although he often wished not to.

He sighed; everything about his attire was perfect. There was nothing more he could do. Picking up his father's favorite cane, he gripped it for comfort, and began his reluctant voyage down the stairwell. His mother was waiting for him at the foot of the stairwell, also dressed completely in black.

She smiled sadly at him as he extended an arm to her to escort her to the carriage waiting outside. The church that the funeral would be held in was only five minutes away, but a certain bit of formality was certainly called for, for Baron Harold von Gikkingen's death.

Maria von Gikkingen softly rubbed her son's arm for comfort, making him smile softly.

"Never cry in front of court, love. Nothing pleases them like a chance to point out a weakness."

Humbert sighed softly.

"Yes, Mother. I know."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"… and the good baron will be sorely missed," the priest concluded before the bearers took the coffin away to the family mausoleum. The new baron and his mother accepted the condolences of friends and acquaintances for a few hours, and then returned home for some much-needed peace.

Humbert took off his top hat and coat jacket, leaving them on the coat rack in the parlor, and warming up the tea he had made that morning. Maria sighed, neatly seating herself on the couch.

"The house seems so empty, without your father."

Humbert sighed his agreement, before slipping her a cup of the soothing beverage, and sitting beside her on the couch.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I already miss him scolding me."

His mother laughed warmly, her eyes far away from the room.

"I'm not sure where to go from here. Without Harold… things aren't as simple as they used to be."

Humbert nodded, feeling his smooth chin with one gloved hand. He had found out upon puberty that having a beard as a human was uncomfortable, and so managed to find an old Ylthean record on shaving facial hair, and which parts were good to remove. It was a bit painful, the first few tries, but he had caught the knack of the delicate art.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, realizing what was happening within his own soul.

"That's it," he whispered softly, realizing that it was time. His mother looked up at him.

"Humbert?"

The young baron stood up, and kissed his mother's brow warmly.

"I'm going after her. I'm going to find her, and bring her here."

Maria gasped.

"But Son! You're only sixteen!"

"I know, but I need to go. My very blood is screaming that it's time."

His mother tried to think fast.

"I thought you weren't going to try finding her until after you were eighteen!"

"There's a possibility that it will take me a few years, since Yltheans don't know about the prophecy, and may have forgotten about us entirely. If I wait until the time I discussed with you and Father, it might be too late. There's no telling what's happening in Ylthea to make me feel this way, but it's definitely time."

Maria wanted to stop him, but then realized how futile the action was. He had inherited _her _stubborn streak after all, and he had been born to be with his other half.

"Wonderful. First I lose my husband, and now my child."

Humbert shook his head lovingly at her.

"Except you'll be getting me back. Just trust me, Mother. I'll return, and she'll be with me."

She nodded unhappily.

"The king wanted to give you a big send-off, when you left for Ylthea."

"Then tell him I snuck out. I'll even write you a note for confirmation."

His mother laughed warmly, already feeling up to the plot.

"I'll start getting the summer cottage ready for her. Oh, I can't wait to meet her!"

Humbert nodded again, still a bit nervous about the business. But he could never deny the way his heart was calling out for _her_.

Althean girls were very pretty, to be sure, but his destiny had been decided for years. He was going to find his bride, and bring her home.

How he was going to peacefully execute the last part without earning her scorn, he had no idea.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Thinking ahead, the new baron decided to wait until early the next morning to try crossing the worlds, to give him more time to look around before donning the large cloak that would keep him safe from Yltheans while in his nocturnal Althean form. The tawny lord had used the time wisely, now having a small pack ready and completely rested for the journey.

About the only thing not ready was his mother, who kept kissing his forehead, although she had to stand on her tiptoes to do it.

"Be careful, son. Be courteous, but don't let people walk all over you, and don't forget-" she babbled. Her son chuckled and gave her a firm kiss on the cheek.

"Don't worry, Mother. I promise I'll be home as soon as I can."

She nodded tearfully, and stole one more hug before letting go of him. The lord backed up slowly, taking in a last look of the family manor, and his dear mother. Who knew when he would see them again?

Tipping his hat at the feline woman, Humbert faced away from her and raised his right hand to his chest, flinging it sharply away from his body. Immediately, a blue circle of light appeared in front of him, enlarging enough for him to comfortably walk into it. The circle disappeared behind him, leaving a mother all alone.

'_Good luck, Son. Come back soon.'_


	5. Haru's Thoughts

Extra

This new and improved version of the chapter is dedicated to EarthGurdian, who had the courage to tell me that it had a loophole. I fixed it.

Chapter Five: Haru's Thoughts

Haru looked at herself in the mirror, biting her lip nervously as the daylight faded outside. Her fur began its usual retreat into her skin, and her ears slowly trailed down the sides of her head while becoming smaller and more rounded.

For the coming-of-age ball in her honor, Haru had chosen a sea-green dress that flowed over her slender frame like water. Despite her urge to tie her hair back in an easy ponytail, she swept her hair elegantly around the back of her head, and pinned it in place with crystal shell pins. A matching bracelet graced one wrist, while her silk slippers were the exact shade of the girl's dress.

Aya cooed over her while checking the girl over for any last minute adjustments.

"You look beautiful, my girl. So like your mother…"

Haru smiled warmly at the compliment, though silently wishing that she had some memories of the woman everyone took such pleasure in reminding her of.

A knock came at the door.

"Is she ready?" her uncle called out. Aya stood respectfully back as Haru unlocked the extra power holding the door shut.

"I am, Uncle." She pulled the door open for her uncle, so that he could see for himself. His eyes widened in astonishment while Aya approached her with a cloak from behind.

"Have fun, dear heart."

Haru nodded warmly at her dear nanny wrapping the dark blue cloak around herself, and kissed her beloved nanny's cheek before accepting the arm her uncle was offering her. His breathing seemed to go faster and faster with nerves, the closer they came to the waiting carriage

But his fears were for nothing. When they reached the palace, the young and fair brunette was able to charm everyone, including the crown prince, despite her weak dancing skills. But Haru was no heart-breaker; every time a young man (or even one not so young) tried to move the discussion to something more intimate, she would quietly beg off and look for someone else to talk to.

She knew all too well that there was no way she could pursue a romantic relationship, thanks to her unique condition.

The festivities lasted well through the night, and almost to the daylight hours. In fact, if Duke Yosho wasn't keeping a careful eye on the clock, the little family secret would have been blown. Citing the time, the duke quickly whisked his niece away as the prince gave a final farewell.

The carriage ride home was fairly quiet, since both the duke and his niece were busy watching the horizon for signs of light.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop in front of the Duke's estate, the two occupants leapt from the carriage with a hasty word of thanks sent back to the coachmen as they raced into the house, through a hall, up the stairs, and through the door leading to her room.

Aya was startled from her sleep as her charge and master burst through the door and slammed it behind them, as the change began to occur one more. Haru's splitting lips burst into a smile as she loosened the clips in her hair so that her shifting ears wouldn't bite at her scalp.

"Morning, Aya! I know _I'll _sleep well today!"

The old nursemaid hobbled over to help the girl behind a dressing screen to remove the ball gown as the duke sank into the chair next to the dormant fireplace with exhaustion.

"That was a little too close," he panted. "We'll have to start leaving a little earlier, if we want to keep your whiskers under wraps."

Haru was about to laugh at him when her heart seemed to physically leap out of her chest. She gasped and held one hand over it fearfully as her Aya slipped a nightgown over her head. Her uncle looked sharply in her direction.

"Haru, what's wrong?"

"I… I don't know." She wished she did, but her heart kept trying to leap into the air, singing a strange song. After about a minute, the strange feeling faded into a lonely aching in her heart. The slim brunette took a deep breath.

"I'm okay, now."

Her uncle was still looking at her direction with worry as she came out from behind the screen.

"Honey, if something's wrong-"

"Nonsense, sir," the old nanny said dismissively as she firmly eased the girl into bed and covered her with quilts. "Her heart's still excited over the party, and is making a fuss. And all that dancing was more exercise than what she's used to."

Haru thought about it as her uncle stood up, still looking a little worried as his feet pointed toward the door.

"Yes, that would make sense. Sweet dreams Aya, Uncle."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The young baron stepped through the barrier, one heart to his hand. Beautiful music seemed to pour through his soul, confirming how _right _this was. The blonde lord knew that the music was also pouring through _her _soul, to let her know that he was coming for her. Humbert looked around the area he had come out in to find a forest much like the ones back home. He straightened a little, adjusted his hold on the large pack across his shoulders, and started walking.

He deeply inhaled the scent of the trees overhead, and of the wild herbs getting crushed beneath his sturdily shod feet. The sun was shining merrily overhead, although Humbert could hardly tell, with how thick the trees were.

Without warning, two peasants jumped in front of him; one wielding a shovel and the other a pitchfork.

"Well, what do we have here?" one of the Yltheans said dryly. "A nobleman who isn't afraid of getting dust on his precious shoes? The end of the world truly _is _coming."

Although the baron had encountered men like this in Althea, and knew they meant nothing but trouble, he smiled politely and tipped his hat at them.

"Good morning, sirs. Pray, where would I find a village?"

The one with the pitchfork opened his mouth, but closed it quickly when his companion glared at him.

"That's sensitive information, sir, and our memories are _so_ fleeting."

Catching the subtle hint, Humbert reached into his pocket, and tossed them a few gems, since he knew that the Althean seal on his coins would only bring trouble. The two peasants dove for the gems, nearly killing each other in their eagerness. One man kept a sapphire, while the other was left with a ruby. The peasant with the shovel bit into the sapphire to see if it was real, only to nearly lose his teeth.

"Ah, this is real, it is. The village is directly east, but if you go a little further, you'll come to a stream that flows real close to it. Just follow the current."

The baron smiled warmly, and showed them a few more jewels.

"Just out of curiosity, have either of you heard of a girl that shifts into a cat?"

The men stopped fondling their new treasures to stare at the man.

"A girl-cat?"

"Yes," the baron said, although he somehow knew she wouldn't be this easily found. The peasants looked at each other.

"Not me. Ulo?"

"Nor I. Sorry, sir."

Humbert sighed sadly, and tipped his hat at them again, pocketing the glimmering gems. The Yltheans looked at his pocket longingly.

"Thank you for the information, sirs. Good day." Despite the fact that they had told him to go east, he began walking westward, through the bushes. Realizing that the man probably had much treasure on him, the two peasants quickly rose to their feet, picked up their tools, and started after the noble.

They stormed through the bushes, and looked around, but the baron was gone, like a ghost.

Humbert sadly watched them from the sturdy branch of a tree; his enchantment of invisibility ensuring that he would not be found by the would-be thieves. He was no coward, by any stretch of the imagination, but he wasn't one to go looking for a fight, either.

'_And the journey begins. I hope she's patient.'_


	6. The Ylthean Court

Extra

Chapter Six: The Ylthean Court

Haru gripped her little hand purse for comfort; opening and closing her fan, just for the chance to do something with her fingers. Her uncle looked over at her worriedly from the corner of his eye.

"Just hang in there," he whispered. "Only an hour or so to go."

The slim brunette fought the urge to groan, already sick of standing around doing nothing. Although paying court to the king was a requirement of all the royal court, it was beyond boring to just stand around and watch each royal or noble approach the king with a favor or request. Yosho and Haru didn't need anything, but they had been commanded to appear anyway, although the slim brunette couldn't figure out why. If anything, the crown prince's obvious boredom, sitting next to his father's throne, was a comfort.

She had been coming to court for about a year now; certainly she wasn't still a novelty. In fact, according to her uncle and court friends, more and more events were being held at night, so that she could attend them. It seemed a little strange to her, that the entire court was willing to go to such lengths to ensure her attendance. Haru smiled softly, remembering that the court had thought her to be a demon, before her uncle introduced her.

In order to distract herself from the painfully boring proceedings, she let her mind fade into what spells she could improve on.

After her gift had been discovered as a child, her uncle had nearly drowned her in magic books, after she pointed out that her power could start controlling her if she didn't learn how to control it. And although the books had been quite informative, some of them were absolutely useless to her. She knew that learning how to change copper into gold or something like that would only make the precious metal less precious, and therefore less valuable.

'_Man, I wish I could liven things up around here without getting in trouble with Uncle. I wonder what would happen if that count's hair turned a violently bright pink, with purple highlights.' _She had to fight hard to control her evil giggles, which made her uncle look at her again with worry, but with more fear this time.

"Whatever you're thinking of, don't do it," Yosho beg-whispered, making his niece try harder not to laugh.

"I won't do anything, I promise," she whispered softly back, making the elderly baroness next to her look at the girl, perplexed.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The king stood up, signaling the end of the court session. Just as the courtesans began to file out of the throne room, the old baroness turned to the duke's niece.

"What did your uncle mean?"

Haru blinked, and laughed a little nervously.

"I sometimes pull harmless pranks at home. He was just asking me to behave myself for court."

"Ah. How strange; I wouldn't have pegged _you _of all people to be the mischievous type, Lady Haru."

She giggled, and bowed low to the baroness before turning to find her uncle, but found that he had drifted away, called once again to the king. Yosho had never mentioned to her that the king loved his company so.

"Lady Haru?"

She turned, to see the crown prince at her elbow once more. Smiling, she bowed again.

"A pleasure to see you again, your highness."

He smiled, but there was a spot of trouble in his gaze.

"Haru…" the dark prince said in a low warning voice. The slim brunette sighed, remembering his old request of her, when they met at her first ball over a year ago. Having the crown prince as a personal friend was nothing to sneeze at, but she always took care not to abuse his trust more than her unique condition recommended her to.

"Sorry, Machida."

He immediately grinned wider, and hesitantly offered her a small cup of citrus tea, knowing that it was her favorite.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Haru?"

She rolled her dark eyes at him, taking the tea.

"Actually, I've been bored out of my skull. How about you?"

He laughed lightly, his black eyes never leaving her, as usual.

"Oh, I'm doing better than most people you know." _'Please wait a little longer for me, Haru. I want everything to be perfect, when I choose my princess.'_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Baron Humbert von Gikkingen wrapped his cloak a little tighter around his sturdy form, not sure if he wanted his fur to grow back before sunset or not. He had never been fond of winter, and having to coax his horse through the freezing snow when they were both already weary wasn't exactly enjoyable. Finally, he spotted a small home through the trees, with smoke billowing from the chimney. His breath puffed into the air like smoke as he made a beeline towards the cottage; determining that he had a few moments to warm up before his fur coat appeared.

The tawny lord neatly dismounted his horse, and warily approached the door, knocking twice. He could vaguely hear someone shifting around inside.

"Who is it?" an elderly voice called out in fear. Humbert, or Baron, as he now liked to be called ('Humbert' invited too many jabs at the lord's pride, and he liked his title just fine), took a breath for energy.

"A weary traveler that wishes to warm himself by your fire. I swear on my life that I mean you no harm."

The bolt across the door slowly slid from the inside portion, and the door creaked open a hair. Baron locked eyes with an old wizened crone, who regarded him worriedly. Slowly, her eyes softened.

"Aye, you can come in for a moment or two. Your eyes are strange, but kind." The woman opened the door so that the nobleman could quickly come in. Remembering his mount, the young lord made a mental spell to keep his steed warm against the snowfall.

True, he could have used the spell on himself, but refusing a chance to talk with an Ylthean was out of the question. Baron could feel that he was running out of time.

He smiled warmly up at the crone while kneeling next to her fire, extending his arms out to the dancing flames.

"You are most kind, madam."

She smiled softly, and resumed her knitting at a small chair, also pulled close to the fire.

"I made my home here, in hopes that I would be left alone, but a little company now and then couldn't hurt. What adventure were you off on, good lord?" Her old eyes could see the fine quality in his winter robes, and the man's posture and manners were all too familiar.

Baron sighed tiredly.

"I'm looking for a young girl, precisely seventeen years, eight months, and three days old. She'll be a recluse during the day, at least."

The woman cocked an eyebrow at him.

"And her name?"

He sighed again, watching the flames perform an intricate ballet, just for them.

"I don't know. I know only her age, and that she doesn't get out much."

"Well, that's certainly not a lot to go on."

"I know, but it's all I have. Oh, and she'll have a fascination with cats, more than likely."

The woman's eyes faded, as she worked on the stocking between her hands.

"Cats…"

Without warning, she shot out of her chair with a cry on her lips. Baron looked up at her, interested in her reaction.

"Perhaps you know where I can find such a girl?" he asked eagerly.

The woman pinned herself to the wall, her hands over her mouth in horror.

'_He named the __**exact**__ day.' _


	7. The Midwife

Extra

Chapter Seven: The Midwife

"N-no, I don't know."

Baron's green eyes flickered with power and a sense of subdued triumph as he slowly stood up from his place by the fire.

"You're lying to me."

The woman paled even further, and ran fearfully for the door. Without warning, her feet came down on air, making movement towards the door impossible. She began struggling in the air, her horror-filled eyes locked on the strange and mysterious lord she had given aid to.

"Please don't kill me!" she begged desperately.

Baron sighed, and used one hand to coax her back onto her chair. He spoke to the crone in the softest voice he could, to calm her down.

"Madam, I assure you that I mean no harm. Your actions have made it clear that you know _exactly _who it is I seek. Please tell me."

She started shaking her head hard, and tears streamed past her guard.

"Please! I'll die if I tell!"

Concerned, Baron knelt in front of her, and used his cotton handkerchief to gently dab her face dry.

"Do you mean that there is a killing spell on you, or that you will be killed if the one that wants you to keep quiet finds out that you told someone?"

She sniffled.

"The last one. He's very powerful, and if he found out-"

Baron pressed two fingers softly over the woman's mouth to silence her. He sighed, feeling that the shift would soon come.

"He will not find out from me, madam. It's very important that I find this girl." Baron stood up, and took two steps away from her, so that she could fully see him. "I believe what will shortly happen will convince you of my sincerity."

The woman's eyes widened.

"What are you going to do?" she asked fearfully. The tawny lord smiled warmly at her, since he had put his top hat away for the winter for obvious reasons.

"Show you my other face."

Closing his eyes, he willed the change to hasten. But as it usually did, it took its own sweet time with his body. The lord immediately became warmer as a coat of fur began to grow all over, and his ears began to trail up the sides of his head. The woman's mouth opened in astonishment as Baron made the usual spell on the seat of his pants, so that his growing tail wouldn't pain him, and his facial shape changed.

Once the transformation was complete, the feline lord bowed low before the old woman, who couldn't stop staring at him.

"Baron Humbert von Gikkingen at your service." He straightened, and smiled at her again. "The girl I seek will have a cat form like this during the day."

The woman nodded dumbly.

"She does. I only saw it once, the day I helped bring her into the world." She shook her head, disbelieving that there were _two_ of them. The lord knelt into her lap, and held her wrinkled hands softly.

"Please, tell me everything you can about her. I don't hesitate to reward those that help me, and I'm willing to pay generously."

The woman bit her lip nervously.

"Will anyone be harmed if I tell you?"

"No. I wish to find her so that we can avoid hurting people, or prevent them from harming others. _Please._" Baron nearly lost his composure, being so close to finding his other half. The white-haired crone sighed in defeat.

"Her name's Haru Yoshioka."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As the dawn of day broke, a young woman smiled as she threw on a traveling cloak. But instead of leaving the tower, and invoking her beloved uncle's wrath, the slim brunette lay herself out on her bed as her features slowly became feline. Crossing her arms over her chest, she closed her eyes, as if to sleep. Her face became contorted with concentration.

Her body glowed for a second, and when Haru opened her eyes, she was lying on soft grass, on a hill just outside of her uncle's home. Making sure that her body was still glowing, she rose to her feet and brushed off her cloak from any filth that might have come onto it. Confidently, she approached the gates and walked through the tall iron bars that would have stopped anyone else. The guards didn't even blink as she passed, which was the way she wanted it, and kept it.

She had only been able to make herself invisible and out of the tower for the past three years, and no one had been able to figure it out. To her nanny Aya, before she died six months ago, it only looked like the young half-cat was in peaceful slumber. Haru loved these precious hours that she could be out and about without anyone the wiser. She took in a deep breath of fresh air as the little village came closer. The slim brunette always had to watch her step within the town, for although she was invisible, the young half-cat could cause quite a stir if she bumped into people that couldn't see her, and it was easier to move around if people were relaxed.

Haru made sure to take soft and measured breaths, so as to make as little noise as possible while taking in everything. Her little kitten nose kept twitching, taking in freshly baked bread, various herbs, and even the sweaty and dirty peasants, as they went about their daily chores. Here and there, she spotted finer dressed people; the middle class people. When passing a group of giggling girls, the duke's niece caught a fragment of their talk with her large and well-formed ears.

"Everyone's going to be at the masquerade tonight! Even Lady Haru's going to come, and you know how she is!"

Another young woman giggled.

"Poor girl. Sometimes I wish _my_ skin were as delicate to sunlight as hers, so Papa wouldn't make me help around the house, since everyone's asleep at night."

Another girl scoffed, one that the half-cat had met on a small handful of occasions.

"Really? She's made it plain to me that she envies _our _skin. She hates being locked away during the daylight hours."

A passing gentleman stopped in his tracks. Haru didn't recognize him, although she couldn't help but be fascinated by the shade of his hair, which she had only seen in gold coins before now. It even seemed to shine like it had been crafted from the precious metal. Nearly everyone in this area of Ylthea was dark-haired, so fair-haired people tended to stick out like sore thumbs.

"Not to intrude on a private conversation, but who are you talking about?"

Haru stopped in her tracks. She had never heard an accent like that before. It was warm, and flowing like a summer river. It was so soothing… One girl blushed at the noble's looks, but remembered her manners; obviously as unused to the exotic accent as the half-cat was.

"The duke's niece; Haru Yoshioka. Her skin is very delicate to sunlight, so she never comes outside except at night. She doesn't even step out of her room until then."

The man's green eyes lit up like fireworks, making the slim brunette wonder why the fact was so interesting to him. Her heart quickened, noticing something else about the newcomer.

Most people had three colors in their eyes; the pupil, iris, and cornea. But golden haired man's eyes were completely green, except for slitted black pupils.


	8. A Stunning Surprise

Extra

Chapter Eight: A Stunning Surprise

"How would you describe this Lady Haru?"

The girl that had stuck up for her earlier, Hiromi, spoke up.

"She's really smart, since she has a lot of time to spend with books, and her embroidery always makes other girls jealous. But she's the sweetest girl you'd ever want to meet, and I don't understand why her uncle won't let her get married."

The young man's eyes glowed warmly again.

"What about physically?"

Hiromi sighed, and raised a level hand close to the level of the top of Haru's head, although she didn't know the lady was right next to her. The brunette leaned back a bit to avoid the hand, not expecting her friend to come so close to touching her while she was in her furry state.

"About this tall, fairly slim build, huge puppy brown eyes, extremely pale skin, and long chocolate-colored hair, which she likes pulling up in a high ponytail when she can get away with it." She giggled. "Some people think she's a vampire, but I doubt it. If someone starts bleeding in front of her, she attacks that person with a handkerchief, not fangs. She really likes helping people with their problems, she likes eating garlic, and coffins creep her out. So do dogs."

Haru raised one hand to the mentioned ponytail guiltily. She didn't mind the fancier hairstyles that were popular nowadays, but she didn't really see the point in making herself presentable when no one could see her, and the ponytail was so much easier to deal with. And as for being pale… She looked down at her arm, which was covered by light tan fur. Well, what could one expect? She wasn't really in her body, so she couldn't tan from the sun's rays. Could her special fur even tan if she ever _truly _stepped outside in daylight?

The man smiled a bit, and shifted his gaze to the right of the girl who had described the duke's niece so well. All the girls looked in the same direction, including Haru; wondering what had caught his attention. But she didn't see anything out of the ordinary…

She looked back at the nobleman, who appeared to be looking straight at her. When he locked his green eyes with her brown ones, the cat-girl's heart froze.

The slim brunette hesitantly raised one hand and waved it softly in a friendly gesture.

He grinned, and also waved hello.

'_Shoot! He can see me!' _Without hesitation, she closed her eyes, and made her dream shadow flee back to the tower, where she woke up in a cold sweat.

The blonde nobleman chuckled softly as the other girls turned back to him, confusion clear on their faces.

"Did you see someone you know?"

He grinned and gave the girls a low bow.

"No, but I hope to correct that. If Lady Haru never leaves her room during the day, where might I find her afterwards?"

Hiromi blinked.

"She'll be at the masquerade tonight, at the royal palace in honor of the crown prince's birthday. You didn't say what your name was…?"

He grinned again, and tipped his silk hat at the young lady.

"Baron Humbert von Gikkingen at your service."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Despite the fact that she should have been resting, Haru was pacing madly around her tower room; her heart cold with fear.

'_How did that man see me? Why didn't he react like Uncle said people would, if they found out about my whiskers?' _She had never told anyone about the one time she had let go of her invisibility out in daylight, and a man had seen her. He didn't say anything; the revulsion and horror on his face speaking for him. But word of the incident had never reached her uncle, for if it had, he would have scolded her and grounded her from leaving her room for a month.

But then again, the man _was _pretty drunk when he had caught a glimpse of her…

She sighed tiredly, and took off the traveling cloak so she could go to sleep for real. She had a lot of things to do, before the masquerade tonight.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Having received the information he had been craving, Baron bid a polite farewell to the young girls, and made his way across the village.

'_Tonight's the night, then. I will finally be able to talk to her, tell her everything. She must have so many questions…' _Well, it looked to him that she had discovered the answer to one of them on her own. The magicians back in the Althean court loved talking about how his other half would probably have to be shown the basics, being raised among savages like Yltheans. But a dream-shadow was a tricky spell, which required a certain level of skill in order to do. The golden man grinned widely, wondering just how far she had been able to go magic-wise without a tutor.

Crashing the royal birthday party wouldn't be a problem thanks to his little talent, but how to blend in at night until he could approach the girl… Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a modest costume shop. He grinned again; if he was going to have a prayer at getting close enough to talk to Lady Haru, he would have to find something to make his cat features look like the work of a craftsman.

Baron opened the door, making the small bell on the doorframe tinkle softly. The old man behind the counter woke up from his nap with a grunt, but relaxed at seeing the customer.

"Welcome to Nishi's. I am Mister Nishi; how may I help you, Sir?"

Baron tipped his hat with a smile.

"I'm wondering if you would happen to have any costumes fit for the royal masquerade."

The man blinked.

"Shopping a little late, are we?"

"My invitation arrived late. Mind if I look around?"

The man stumbled off his stool and came out from behind the desk; his bones cracking painfully.

"Agh, old bones… Of course, sir, but I'm not sure how much good it will do you. All of our best costumes were bought weeks ago."

"But there must surely be _something._" He didn't wish for Lady Haru to be embarrassed about speaking to him in public because he had been forced to wear an undignified costume. Now standing about a foot away from the lord, Mr. Nishi took account of the baron's tall stature.

"If I have anything in your size, it would be around this corner, here." The old man led the way around an open wardrobe that was nearly picked bare. When Baron saw the little corner reserved for tall men, he wasn't impressed. A blue outfit with fish scales certainly wouldn't do, and the long pink dress was _absolutely_ out of the question.

He thoughtfully fingered the sleeve of a black outfit with spiky white trimming, thinking that it might be his best choice, in view of the circumstances.

"Mind if I try this on?"

The outfit might do the job, with a few adjustments, of course.


	9. The Masquerade

Extra

Chapter Nine: The Masquerade

The Duke Yosho Iyumi climbed up the long staircase in order to see if his niece was ready yet. Smiling a bit, he knocked on the door twice.

"Sweetie? The carriage is ready when you are." He heard a soft giggle, and the many locks on the door give way. When the door opened, the duke stared in shock.

Haru grinned up at him, kissing his cheek affectionately while wrapping her cloak around her fair shoulders. A small handbag was tied to a slim wrist, the same almost golden yellow as the girl's dress. The skirt was bordering on being full, and seemed to flow around her legs like a river. The bodice, although being almost unfashionably modest, was breath-taking, as were the diamond clips holding her hair up in a current style. In one hand, she had a bird-like mask, with glorious golden feathers attached to match her dress.

The slim brunette had walked past him, and was at the foot of the stairs. She looked back at him puzzled.

"Is something wrong, Uncle?"

Realizing that he had forgotten to breath, Yosho took several deep breaths and smiled warmly at his niece while offering his arm, so they could walk down to the carriage together.

"For a moment, I thought you were your mother. She loved that color."

Haru's eyes saddened, and she smiled softly.

"I know. That's why I'm wearing it." She smiled again, having known as soon as the masquerade had been announced that her beloved uncle would sooner die then allow her to go as a cat. But considering how much of her time was spent as one, she didn't mind all that much.

Once they were inside the carriage and off to the palace, the duke sighed again.

"Maybe it wasn't such a good idea for you to dress up like that, Sweetie. You're attracting too many men."

And the prince's fascination with her wasn't a good sign at all. She grinned evilly.

"Don't worry about me, Uncle; I pity any fool that would try to make me do something I didn't want to do. And we agreed years ago that it's impossible for me to ever marry."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When the carriage rolled in front of the palace and came to a halt, the duke stepped out first so that he could take his niece's hand to steady her. Having a flair for the dramatic, the slim brunette had covered her amazing dress and hair with a dark cloak.

Her uncle grinned, glad that they sort of matched. Upon entering the palace, he put on his owl mask after confirming his identity with a herald. Servants took their cloaks, and Haru tied the fancy golden mask onto her fair face. She doubted it would fool anyone, but it was kind of fun to dress up, every once in a while. She linked arms with her uncle once more before making the grand entrance into the royal ballroom. The herald announced their identities proudly.

"The Duke Yosho Iyumi, with his niece, Lady Haru Yoshioka!"

Polite applause came, but quickly died away with awe as the two elegantly descended the staircase, and approach the crown prince. His eyes widened as the two bird-impostors bowed as one, and a slight blush came over his features.

"Many happy returns, your highness," the duke said as his dark niece pulled a small package from her little handbag.

"A token of our good will," Haru finished while presenting the gift to the young prince, who took it. Puzzled, he loosened one end of the red ribbon that held the neat little yellow box closed. The box fell apart, and the prince stared at the contents. Slowly, he reached in and pulled out a solid gold falcon broach, with blue sapphires set in the eyes and diamonds in the talons. The broach looked so lifelike, as if the falcon was just seconds away from grabbing his prey… this would be perfect for holding the royal cloak in place, whenever he left the palace. Prince Machida nodded thankfully at the two.

"Thank you. This is wonderful."

The duke and his niece bowed again as one, and left so that other nobles could approach with their gifts. But the prince kept one eye on the golden bird while she found her friends in the room, as he mouthed grateful words to the other guests.

Several girls fluttered over to the golden bird, who oohed and ahhed over her beautiful dress.

"What are you supposed to be, Haru?" Nya asked, dressed as a peacock. The brunette giggled.

"A phoenix. According to legend, there has only ever been one in the entire world, and when it grows too old, it dissolves into flame, and is reborn in the ashes." Haru knew better than to say more, since some of the girls' eyes were beginning to glaze out like she was giving a lecture. Another girl, a butterfly named Sakura, giggled.

"You are so lucky, Haru. I just heard from Hiromi that there's a very handsome young baron that wants to meet you."

The duke's daughter rolled her eyes.

"You know I never pay attention to gossip. I'll believe when I see."

A mermaid-clad girl, with mock-fish scales completely making up her skirt and bodice, looked over Haru's shoulder, and started giggling.

"Then turn and believe. I saw him earlier today; he's the one with the plumed hat."

Shrugging her shoulders, the brunette turned.

Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open slightly as a soft gasp escaped her throat.

It was the young man that had seen her that morning. But, his face… this was impossible.

The plumed hat and steel mask over his eyes gave the impression that his cat's head was also fake, but Haru had too much experience with feline looks to believe that his well-formed ears and perfect whiskers were anything less than genuine. The orange fur that covered the top part of his head was a similar gold to the hair she had seen earlier that day, but the under-part of his face was a subtle cream color. He grinned at her from across the room. The dashing feline was obviously pleased to have caught her attention so quickly, and his bright green eyes twinkled happily.

It didn't help for her to notice how handsome he was in this form as well as his other one, either.

Behind her, she could hear the other girls giggling.

"Whoever made that cat's head is a genius! It looks so real… but it's him, Haru. I was talking with him earlier," the mermaid continued.

The phoenix watched like a paralyzed deer on a busy road, while the baron started carefully moving his way through the crowd, closer to her. Her heart pounded in fear.

'_He's like me! That must be why he saw me earlier… he __**was **__a little too interested in learning about my 'condition', what could he want from me? Should I run for it?'_

Barely two seconds before the young half-cat reached her, the crown prince seemed to appear like magic to Haru's side.

"Lady Haru, your prince begs for a dance."

Blinking a bit at the interruption as a light gasp of surprise escaped her throat, she painted on a smile while putting her hand in the prince's; the half-cat stopped cold in his tracks with wide eyes. He also had one hand extended to her, like he was about to ask the same thing as the prince.

"Of course, highness." She would solve the baron mystery later.


	10. An Unexpected Proposal

Extra

Chapter Ten: An Unexpected Proposal

Baron watched as the dance floor immediately cleared for the two, and the musicians started a soft ballad.

No, this wasn't how it was supposed to be! _Baron _was the one that should have received the honor of dancing with the phoenix. He had so much to tell her…

Prince Machida was blushing a bit as he guided her somewhat gracelessly around the floor.

"Are you enjoying yourself, my lady?"

She nodded, wincing as she accidentally stepped on his toe.

"The royal celebrations are always a pleasure to attend. Are _you_ enjoying yourself?"

He laughed a little nervously, ignoring the punishment he usually endured to make certain that another guy couldn't move in on the royal territory. A second later, and that unknown cat man would have beaten him to the golden prize, and that would not have been permissible.

"More than I was an hour ago. It's a shame about your delicate skin; you missed out on the grand opening."

She sighed a little.

"One learns to live with missing out on a good portion of the fun, after a lifetime of it."

Prince Machida blanched, obviously worried that he had unintentionally put her on the defensive.

"But wait till you see what I've got lined up for later! Fireworks imported from Saltha, the finest pastries money can buy, and at midnight, the castle will be so lit up by the fireworks, one would think it was noon!"

Haru stiffened, wondering if they would trigger the cat reaction.

"Thanks for the warning. I'm sure that it will be a wonderful display, Machida."

He laughed a little too, smiling again. Was it her imagination, or were his palms getting sweaty on her waist and hand?

"Um… Haru, I was hoping to ask a favor of you."

She cocked her head at him as he clumsily twirled her around.

"What kind of favor?"

He started breathing a little heavily.

"You… know how my parents have been pressuring me to find a bride?"

She nodded, although a certain orange cat was starting to hyperventilate on the sidelines. Baron could tell where the conversation was heading, and he didn't care for it one bit.

"The kingdom talks of little else. Have you decided on someone?"

He nodded, and turned a few shades of red.

"Haru… would… _you _be my princess?"

Her heart froze in her chest, and she stopped dancing. Machida stopped too, clearly hungering for her answer. On the sidelines, Baron began praying for a miracle.

'_Please, Haru! You don't realize what's at stake!' _Well, she had an idea, but surely that idea was enough! His heart seemed to freeze in his chest, praying that the girl would choose right. He was a stranger to her, and couldn't just storm the dance floor and say no for her. He had still never spoken a word to her.

Haru looked down guiltily after a moment.

"Machida… I never felt more for you than that of a friend. And… I can't possibly marry you. I'm sorry if I've been leading you on."

Everyone gasped with astonishment, including the king and queen, who were certain that the Yoshioka girl would have jumped into her prince's arms, crying with happiness. Baron gave a subtle sigh of relief, certain that anything louder would attract too much attention.

'_Looks like I arrived just in time.' _

The prince's eyes became desperate, and he got down on one knee, caressing her hands tenderly.

His parents had organized this entire party, just for the fact that they had known their son and heir was going to propose to the Yoshioka girl, and fulfill his duty to the royal line by marrying the girl and producing a new heir. The spectacular fireworks were to announce their engagement to the entire kingdom. He started rubbing her hand against his cheek in a desperate manner.

"Please Haru; I can get an entire wing in the palace made up for you so that sunlight can never enter. I'll be good to you, I swear."

With tearing eyes, she stepped away from the prince in order to reclaim her hands; firmly shaking her head.

"I'm not the bride for you, Machida. I'm flattered beyond words, believe me, but I can't ever be your princess. I'm sorry; pick someone that's better suited to you." With that, she fled the room, dodging the attendants that tried to stop her with ease.

"Haru, wait!" the prince called out for her, rising to his feet. Baron smiled evilly from the sidelines.

'_I think it's safe for me to interfere now.' _Using a seed of his power, the prince's boots became temporarily stuck to the tiles, making the poor boy trip over himself, and so become further humiliated. Baron felt a little regret over torturing the prince like that, but it wouldn't do for him to interfere with the feline lord's business a second time. Carefully, he maneuvered his way out of the suddenly chaotic dancing hall, and to a hallway. He scanned both ways, hoping to see a certain mythical bird. No, she was nowhere to be seen.

'_My, the girl is __**fast**__! I think this might actually be fun.'_

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Once she was outside, in the cool air, she leaned against a pillar to catch her breath. She cursed herself for being foolish enough to not see her friend's true intentions, and for being born the way she had.

'_He is the prince. His parents will wonder why I didn't give a real reason why I refused his offer to marry him, and they will confront Uncle. How is he going to get us out of __**this **__mess?'_

Before, when suitors privately approached her, she could wipe their minds of having romantic feelings for her or for the wealth of her uncle, but for the prince to make such a public proposal… it would be too suspicious for him to lose interest in her so quickly, with all the emotion he had displayed.

And, for some reason that she didn't understand, she had never fallen in love with a man. Sure, she admired one or two for their brains or prowess with a blade, but the young woman could freely admit that she just couldn't pursue love, even if it found her. It was just too risky, with her unique condition.

A walk… yes, that was what she needed. Smiling a bit, she made sure that no one was watching her, and teleported herself to the other side of the palace. She had always wanted to try out the hedge maze that the king took such pride in, but no one had ever allowed her to try it out, as it was tricky enough in daylight.

The young woman found the entrance into the maze, and started walking. She knew that thanks to her little talents, if she wanted out she could get herself out with no one the wiser. Although she was a human by night, her night vision was still more akin to her feline form, or so she assumed, since she could always see things at night better than her uncle or friends. About fifteen minutes into the maze, she still wasn't very close to the center of the maze, but she was enjoying herself too much to care.

Suddenly, a deep voice with a foreign accent appeared from behind her.

"My, but you're a difficult one to track down, Lady Haru."

Haru yelped and jumped, getting a nice view of half the maze before coming to the ground again. She landed on her feet like she usually did, but gentle hands were on her arms, to steady her further if needed. They were so warm, and strong… she could feel that they were padded, through the soft white gloves. The slim brunette wheeled around to see the strange feline baron, who was smiling at her again. She suppressed the urge to growl at him. She didn't care if he was half a head taller than her; she knew how to take down troublemakers.

"Could you _please_ not sneak up on me like that? In case you haven't noticed by now, I don't take surprises very well."

He chuckled while releasing her.

"Then you're not going to like our little chat, I'm afraid. Oh, don't worry; I have no intention of harming you," he added hastily, seeing the panic start to cross her fair face. "But I am certain that you have many questions, ones that you would love to have answered."


	11. The Prophecy Spell

Extra

Chapter Eleven: The Prophesy Spell

The lovely brunette rolled her eyes at her feline companion.

"Oh, you mean like 'why am I a half-cat during the day', 'how come I'm a natural at magic', 'why did this happen to me', 'what did I do to deserve this fate', and things like that?"

He chuckled again.

"Yes, exactly like those. But first things first." He took off the plumed hat and gave her a grand bow. "Baron Humbert von Gikkingen at your service."

She blinked, knowing it was silly for her to introduce herself, as he already knew who she was.

"No offense, but your surname doesn't ring a bell."

The orange half-cat chuckled while replacing the plumed hat to its perch.

"Frankly, I'd be surprised if it did. For future record, I generally prefer to be called 'Baron'."

She tilted her head at him, rubbing her shoulders a bit against the slight chill in the night air.

"You do look more like a 'Baron' then a 'Humbert'."

He laughed nervously, pulling off his navy cloak and place it on her shoulders, since he had a fur coat at the moment, and she didn't. The brunette smiled gratefully, keeping a firm grip on the neck of the warm garment.

"Mother's idea. Would you mind if I just addressed you as 'Haru'?"

"Not really. With the formalities out of the way, you promised me some answers."

Baron blinked, and then sighed, walking next to the golden girl as they moved around the flimsy maze.

"It's a rather long story, I'm afraid." He gestured to the maze, the castle, and all the lands stretching outward and beyond. "This is the world you know, Ylthea. Over time, it has divided into separate kingdoms, but it is still one. What Ylthea has forgotten over the centuries was that there is a sister world to this one. A separate place that is still here, in a sense."

"You mean like a different dimension?" Haru guessed.

"Correct. That world is called Althea, my birthplace." He grinned and gestured to his face. "As you may have guessed, the dominant species there are half-cats, more commonly called Altheans. Several centuries ago, there was a powerful Althean witch, the most powerful that had ever existed in either world. Before her time, Altheans and Yltheans freely traveled between worlds, but then problems started arising. Not to point a finger at humans, but they became jealous of my kind. Yltheans appear to have weaker bodies than Altheans, and more half-cats could work magic. They started blaming my kind for everything that went wrong, even going as far as to encourage action against us. But to be fair, Altheans did become a little proud, and didn't hide the fact that they thought that Yltheans were inferior to them.

"The Althean witch, Louise DeLerouc, was more distressed than most over the lack of harmony, since she and an Ylthean had fallen in love, despite all the barriers between them. The Ylthean tried to reason with his countrymen, only to be executed as a traitor. Louise was distraught over her lover's death, and used a good portion of her power to close the gateway between the two worlds, before we could destroy each other. Just before she died, she used the last of her power to make a powerful prophecy-spell, to ensure that the damage could be fixed."

Haru cocked her head.

"That prophecy-spell has to do with us, doesn't it?"

"Very much so, actually. She said that when an Althean was born in Ylthea, and an Ylthean born in Althea, crossing worlds as a day comes and passes, their combined might would heal the breach between worlds, and their power would far exceed hers, even when one is without the other."

Haru quirked an eyebrow at him skeptically.

"In modern terms, we're getting roped into babysitting the two worlds into playing nice with each other, possibly for the rest of our lives?"

He chuckled.

"That doesn't quite have the same air of dignity, but it's very close to what's expected of us."

They had reached the center of the maze, where Haru gratefully sank into one of the stone benches. Baron sat down on the other end, still gazing at her. Should he mention the other part so soon, or will that push her away?

She had a different groom in store for her than a prince, but perhaps it would be good to give her time to adjust, before telling her such a strange thing. She was like him, so she would probably revolt, like he had done when the realization hit him during puberty.

"Normally, I don't eat just _anything_ people choose to feed me, but I can't think of a better explanation for being this way. How did you find me?"

He sighed tiredly.

"It took two years, since leaving Althea. Luckily, I had enough power to cross the barrier, but it's starting to crumble with age. I give it maybe five more years, if it breaks from age alone. You've been keeping a very low profile, Haru."

Even though she had looked like an Althean, there were still differences. No one back home had head fur that was longer than the rest of their fur, and her eyes were more rounded than he had ever seen on his own kind. But he had to admit, he liked the little differences that would have made her impossible to lose, even in a crowd. It had taken all of his willpower to ignore her that morning until the human girl had so accurately described Haru, just to be sure that he could track her down later. And it was amusing to watch her panic the way she had, at being seen by a complete stranger.

She shrugged.

"I've been locked up in Uncle's tower my entire life, so no one would find out the truth about me. I had to escape for a little while, to keep what's left of my sanity."

He chuckled sadly.

"I think I can partially understand that. Mother tried to lock me in the library a few times, and Father came close many times to shackling a sword to me, so that I would practice harder. I loved escaping the house and doing what I pleased for a few hours, which was partially why I came to fetch you."

Her eyes took a sudden flinty spark.

"Fetch?" she asked in a clipped tone.

Oh, wrong word. Luckily, Baron saw his mistake.

"Perhaps that was the wrong way to put it." He took another breath to try again, but he was cut off by the suddenly nearby music. They turned their heads toward the side of the maze closer to the palace. The music was now outside. Haru smacked her head softly.

"The prince was talking about a firework show; they must have moved things outside to see it better." Nice to know that her little show with the prince didn't turn the rest of the party sour.

Baron looked at the palace again as beautiful music started to flow around them. He turned to her and grinned.

'_It's a little later than I would have liked, but as long as we're here without interference…' _He stood up from his seat to bow again for her. "Excuse me, would you care to dance?"

She blinked at him from behind her golden mask, but smiled softly and put her slim hand in his broad one, letting the cloak fall onto the stone bench, since she couldn't possibly dance with this man and hold it in place at the same time.

"Certainly." She just hoped that Baron wouldn't want to end the dance the same way the prince had. The young brunette still didn't know much about him.


	12. A Distraught Prince

Extra

Chapter Twelve: A Distraught Prince

Yosho Iyumi was nearly pinned to his seat on the sidelines of the ballroom, the king, queen, and prince making sure that he stayed put. The prince in question looked like he was about to cry.

"I don't understand. I thought she was _waiting_ for me to ask her."

The duke shook his head.

"If I had known that you felt that way, your highness, I would have done something before now."

The king took a half-step closer, nearly knocking the duke out of his seat. His majesty was leaning over him so much to allow much comfort.

"Are you going to speak with your niece, Yosho? My son needs an heir, and he is quite taken with Lady Haru. He's been so ever since meeting her. Surely you couldn't have any objections, since you and she have turned down all other possible suitors. Her delicate skin can be worked around."

The duke shook his head, realizing the wisdom of Haru's judgment. There were far too many eyes in the palace, and all it would take was a single pair to exploit her position with the royal family, or even send her to the bloodthirsty masses. And there truly was no telling how the prince would react, when he eventually learned of her whiskers. She was too smart and kind to accept the prince's offer. Striking on an idea, he decided to give it a try. He sighed tiredly.

"I didn't want to ever bring this up again, since it causes my niece great pain, but I think all of you should know."

The queen leaned in closer.

"Is she already in love with someone?"

He laughed.

"I doubt it. She keeps very few secrets from me, if any. There's more wrong with her health than her delicate skin, which is why we've been turning down all offers for her. If I had been smarter, I never would have presented her to the court, and allow her sweet heart and face to steal so many hearts."

Never mind the fact that the king had ordered him to present his niece, to dispel all the strange rumors concerning the lovely brunette.

The prince grabbed his arm.

"What's wrong with Haru?!"

The duke sighed again, glad that he had studied acting when he was younger.

"My niece has been sick most of her life. About six months before I presented her to the court, a physician told her, without any doubt, that she could never bear children, and there is a good possibility that she won't live to see her twenty-fifth birthday. I have gone to other doctors since then without telling them what the first one said, but they all confirmed it. Even if by a miracle she conceived a child, neither she nor the baby would survive five months into the pregnancy. She was looking out for you, your highness. She more than likely doesn't want to hurt you by having you watch her slowly die, and she is aware that the royal line _must_ continue."

The king and queen were so shocked that their mouths were hanging open slightly. The prince looked like he was about to cry.

"I don't care, I just want to spend the time I can with her. I love her so much, it hurts! Please-"

"No, son," the king said firmly. "Lady Haru did the right and noble thing, to think of what the kingdom needs instead of what she wants. She's a great girl, no one could ever deny that, but as the prince, you need a bride that can present you with at least one heir. Let her go."

Duke Iyumi had a lot of trouble keeping his face sad. He should have thought about pulling the 'dying and barren' card years ago. He could even withdraw her from court, and bury a wax likeness of her so that everyone would think she was dead and leave them alone.

Suddenly, his blood ran cold. He had lied to his monarch. He had lied to the entire royal family. If Haru's secret were ever revealed, he would be executed for treason.

He sighed again as he eased his way out of the chair and bowed to his king, who was too busy arguing with his heir to notice, before walking away to find his niece.

Yosho would be killed no matter what, just for covering for his niece. The duke was relieved that his sister had asked him to watch over her baby when she did, because he might not have been willing to let Haru in his life if Naoko hadn't made him promise to. He didn't think that he would learn to love her so much, but now he couldn't imagine a life without his sweet niece, whom he now cared for as his own daughter.

As he passed some windows, his eyes were somehow drawn to the king's maze. From this high up, he could easily spot two people dancing around in the middle of the king's maze. Stopping to enjoy the show, he leaned against the windowpane.

The couple seemed to move as one, their movements as smooth as a river's flow. The plumed man flung his partner outwards, and then drew her close to lead her into a dip. She countered the motion by raising one foot off the ground to be level with her head, but then lowered it as he lifted her back to a vertical position, twirling the girl around with his fingers. Yosho hadn't seen such beautiful dancing in years…

His heart stopped cold. The reason his eye had been drawn to the maze in the first place was the girl's bright yellow dress that bordered on being gold.

What on earth was Haru doing in a secluded area with a masked stranger?! Yosho immediately stormed down the hallway to save his niece.

From over the king's shoulder, the prince watched the duke's sudden change of attitude. Curious as to what could make Yosho Iyumi panic like that, Machida pretended defeat.

"All right, all right. I'll pick someone else."

His father nodded, and placed a large hand on the heir's shoulder.

"Believe me, my boy; you'll be grateful for it one day."

"Mm hm. I better start looking around."

His mother nodded proudly as the prince stepped away from them, and started toward the window that the duke had found distressing. He stopped dead in his tracks.

Even from this high up, he could never have mistaken Haru. But, she had never displayed this much grace while dancing with the crown prince! The cat man from before had the duke's niece exactly where he wanted her.

In his arms.

"That's not going to fly," Prince Machida hissed, also running down the hall. But unlike the duke, the prince commandeered a sword from a guard, and slammed on a specific stone in the wall.

A secret passageway opened up, and the crown prince slipped within before it closed on itself.

'_Hang on, Haru!'_


	13. Introductions

Extra

Chapter Thirteen: Introductions

Haru was shocked at how well she and Baron could connect through dancing. The way their arms held each other… it was like they had been molded as one, and had been torn asunder before they could realize that they were actually one, not two. _This _is what dancing was supposed to be like.

Was it because of the prophecy-spell? Was what she was feeling right now just a piece of the spell that had controlled her life? She should be fighting against this strange man, but he was the first male besides her uncle to know of her true condition, and accept her anyway. How could she trust this stranger so much?

Now she remembered. He hadn't looked at her with horror this morning. It was _admiration. _The kind she had only ever seen while wearing a human face before other men…

"Haru!"

Baron stiffened, and stood protectively in front of the phoenix he had been dancing with, glaring in the direction of the new voice. Laughing slightly, Haru touched his shoulder.

"Relax, Baron, it's my uncle. I probably made him worried sick, running out like that."

"No joke!" The owl-man burst into the center of the maze and ran up to her to hold the girl by her shoulders as Baron wisely stepped back. "Did he do anything, Haru? Are you okay?"

She laughed and embraced his neck fondly.

"Everything's fine, including me. Uncle, this is Baron Humbert von Gikkingen. Baron, this is my uncle, Duke Yosho Iyumi."

The masked man gave an elegant bow while the duke hugged his niece protectively. He looked closer at the man's face, his eyes slowly widening as a soft gasp escaped his throat. He turned to Haru, not bothering to voice the question aloud. She nodded.

"He's like me, but in reverse."

Baron chuckled.

"I guess there's little point in the disguise now." He pulled off the plumed hat, tossing it onto the head of a nearby armless marble statue while pocketing the steel mask. Yosho stared in amazement at the orange and cream tomcat, his breath a little unsteady with shock.

"All this time… I thought my Haru was one of a kind."

"She's half of a kind. As her guardian, it would be more proper for me to ask _you _this. Haru and I are destined to be mediators between this world and another, which is made up of half-cats like the one I resemble at the moment. In order to take on this responsibility, both of us need a good understanding of both worlds. I have, since I've been looking for your niece for two years, but she needs to have an understanding of the other world. Do I have your permission to take her with me?"

Yosho stiffened.

"Are you mad?! Give my niece to a complete stranger, just because he shares her secret?"

Immediately, there was a strange thudding. Looking next to the stone bench, the trio could clearly see one of the stones moving on its own, as a person from the other side beat on the stone; trying to move it.

"Stay where you are, rogue!" a muffled voice cried out from the other side. Baron stiffened at the jab as Haru fought not to laugh.

"Machida, Baron's no rogue."

The stone came up anyway, revealing a very steamed prince, brandishing his weapon fiercely.

"Haru's not going anywhere, _sir_!"

Baron chuckled, amused.

"Not without her personal permission. However, it's hardly _your _place to interfere, highness." The half-cat looked at Haru again. "I can't promise what a prince can, but I can promise that you won't have to hide in the shadows anymore, if you come with me to Althea."

The brunette's heart began to pound.

'_Not have to hide anymore?' _

Machida stood in front of her, holding his weapon at the orange cat.

"Don't worry, Haru; I'll protect you."

She rolled her eyes, and touched his shoulder gently.

"Machida, Baron's harmless. There's no need to bring weapons into the matter."

"But he's trying to kidnap you!"

"I intend to do nothing of the sort," Baron said indignantly. "This decision is Haru's to make, and frankly, the matter doesn't concern your highness at all."

Machida stiffened, ready to pounce if the feline so much as blinked. Haru sighed, thinking over her options.

#1. Stay in Ylthea and keep up this charade until she was eventually found out and probably killed.

#2. Go with Baron to a strange world that will understand her little eccentricities and allow her to mature enough to become the witch she had the potential to be.

Bonus to picking #2., Hanging out with the incredibly handsome Baron.

She smiled softly, and walked around the prince towards the half-cat.

"Where would I live, if I went with you?" she asked. He smiled softly at her.

"Mother was fixing up the summer cottage for you when I left. Knowing her, she probably _still_ isn't finished with the smaller details yet."

His father had suggested, before he died, that the girl would live with them while going through training, but his mother had firmly put her foot down, and Baron was grateful for it. He knew that saying 'my place' would have not have gone well with the girl or her uncle. Baron smiled again, watching his rival turn interesting shades of red while the brunette seriously thought over her options.

"I can bring you by Ylthea for frequent visits, if that is what you wish, Haru. And I wouldn't be all that surprised if you figured out how to move between worlds in the near future."

Yosho frowned slightly, opening his mouth when the prince cut in.

"You aren't seriously thinking about going with this monster, are you, Haru?!"

The golden bird stiffened, almost freezing over as the orange cat's eyes shot open with fear, and he firmly took two steps away from his other half. The duke also wisely stepped back from the wrath that would surely follow _that _remark.

Slowly, Haru turned, and removed the bird mask from her face, in order glare at Machida in a way that he had never personally known from anyone before. He paled, scared at Haru's raw fury.

"Monster?" she asked softly, taking a slow step closer to the crown prince; her eyes alive with an unholy fire. "All it takes for you to determine that a person is a monster is if he or she happens to look a little different?"


	14. The Truth Revealed

Extra

Chapter Fourteen: The Truth Revealed

Machida pointed a finger at the orange cat, shaking with fear.

"Look at him, Haru! He's a _feline_!"

"And your point is?" she asked softly, her fists beginning to shake with the desire to strike the prince down. "What if it was _me _in the fur coat and whiskers?! Would you say that _I'm_ a monster?!"

Machida started shaking his head fast enough to make his neck bones crack from the exertion.

"No! I would never call you a monster!"

She continued to glare at him, making a wish that she never thought she'd make.

"I wish it was sunrise," she murmured softly, wishing to see if his words were genuine. Baron stepped up behind her.

"Haru, there's a possibility that we can force the change as one, even if it's for but a moment. Is this that important to you?"

She nodded, offering him her hand. He took it gravely, squeezing it gently.

While the prince watched, the two began to slowly shift, like turning over an hour glass. Baron's ears became smaller and trailed down the sides of his head while Haru's made the journey upwards, growing whiskers and fur as Baron lost his.

Prince Machida dropped his sword, his eyes wide with shock. The feline woman smiled grimly.

"You never thought to ask just how I was allergic to sunlight, Your Highness."

Baron smiled sadly as the forced transformation faded back into its proper order, with him as the Althean and she as the Ylthean while under the moonlight. Baron spoke next to the distraught prince.

"I find it sad that the fact matters so much to you, highness. If having two shapes has taught me anything, it's that appearances don't mean much. It's what you have inside that counts." He had always been troubled by how Althean girls were decidedly fonder of him while he resembled a cat, and how Ylthean girls adored him as a human. But he felt that he could reasonably say that Haru wouldn't care either way, having been subject to the same thing, more or less. The brunette tightened her grip on his hand as a tear fell down her cheek.

"I find it troubling, that you were ignoring what I had to say about my own life, Machida. I'm leaving with Baron because I want to, and you will not make any further protests." Remembering her uncle, she gestured to the owl-clad man.

"Also, my uncle must not be punished for the lies he told to keep me safe. If I return to find him harmed in any manner, I promise that you will regret not protecting him. Have I made myself clear, Your Highness?"

As slow as an eternity, Machida nodded his head, still staring at the brunette with streaming eyes.

"Haru, I swear I didn't know."

"That was kind of the idea, Your Highness. Now, go back to the party. Have fun, and start thinking about picking a bride more suited to you than I. I'll be back one day, so don't forget what you've seen tonight."

Completely demoralized, the crown prince stood up, and slowly bowed to the girl he had hoped to take as his wife.

"I'm sorry, Haru," he whispered before turning, and walking through the hedges back to the castle, his shoulders slumped over in defeat. He had even forgotten about the cheater's path that he had taken.

Baron snapped his fingers once.

"Drat. I was hoping to duel him for you."

Haru jumped and triumphantly pointed the finger at the orange cat.

"Aha! I _knew _there'd be something like that going on!"

The feline lord smiled a little foolishly, privately pleased that she had figured it out on her own so quickly.

"There is, but I don't see a reason why we can't be friends first, especially with what just happened. I'm planning on asking you for myself when the time is right." Smiling warmly, he extended his arm to her. "Shall we?"

'_Well, at least he's honest. I guess it couldn't hurt to give __**this **__suitor a chance.' _She grinned back at him while taking the offered arm. Her uncle raised a hand to stop her.

"But Haru… I don't want you to go." Yosho knew it sounded childish, but it suited his feelings exactly. His niece smiled lovingly at him, but kept her hold on the baron.

"Don't worry about me, Uncle; I'll be fine. How often do you want me to visit?"

He thought about it.

"Once a week would be reasonable, I think. Any more will be difficult to explain to the others."

Baron smiled again while waving his free hand, to make a blue light appear next to him. The tiny spot grew until it was taller than the tawny feline, and the baron led his companion through it. She waved goodbye to her uncle once more, before disappearing from the dark night. Yosho sighed, and started working his way through the maze so that he could go home.

He was no longer in a partying mood.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When the portal opened up again, it was into a beautiful garden that seemed to have fountains made entirely of roses. Haru looked around with amazement as Baron carefully led her out of the disappearing light.

"_Wow_, this place is beautiful."

Baron grinned at her while directing the girl towards the large manor home.

"Thank you. Mother will be pleased that you like her garden. She puts so much effort into the flowers."

In a higher window of the manor, a light suddenly came on, and an Althean woman appeared, tying a robe around herself as she did so. Haru couldn't judge the half-cat's coloring very well, with only the dim moonlight to see by. The woman beamed happily.

"Son! You've found her!" She fled from the window, making Baron chuckle.

"You might want to brace yourself, Haru. Mother's embrace is brutally affectionate." By the time he finished his sentence, the woman was already out the back door, her arms outstretched to the two.

Haru had never known an embrace quite like this before. Her uncle's hugs were usually very gentle, and her Aya hadn't really been the hugging type, even though she had loved Haru with all her heart. But as the slim brunette hesitantly returned the cat-woman's embrace, she couldn't help but think that she could get used to being crushed like this.

It felt like home.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

To the ones that will hate how I left this story; sorry, but my muse abandoned me after this chapter. I have a tiny idea on how to do a sequel (Since this idea is begging for it), but I won't start writing it until my muse returns with her familiar sledge hammer. But I might not write it. I guess only time will tell.

Lots of love to; NinjaoftheDarkness, Lunarobi Pride, Lanari, gacktxx, EarthGurdian, sesshoumarufan18, cuteknight101, Bambi4ever, kittydemon18, Drifting One, QuickStar, Lanari, Poet on the Run, Seto-Sesshoumaru-Lover18, Archon Dragon, EgyptLover4, InkyManipulation, and Rini's Ghost for the wonderful reviews. Over a hundred reviews!

Thanks, guys. Thanks for telling me what you think.

Oh… right. I've started giving out little previews of the next story, haven't I? Well, I hope this will keep you happy until the next update;

_Haru finds a mysterious manuscript, and vows to finish the story within the pages. But at what cost? _

Until then,

YarningChick


End file.
